My Promise Kept
by Lessthanthreeanime
Summary: He made a promise. To protect the future. But so did she. One-shot. Set after ch 337 or Ep 23.


**So you may notice I used some of the words from the manga. I own nothing only the plot bunny.  
>Read. Review. First Fairy Tail fic.<strong>

_Magic power you choose to lend, Hearts left for the mend, Promises kept to the end._

Natsu was exerting every ounce of strength into fighting the palace guards while the members of Fairy Tail as well as the future Lucy were focusing on the executioners known as the Garou knights. Things, however, were beginning to look bleak. Loki's attacks were beginning to weaken, one of the executioners had her wretched plants wrapped around Wendy's limbs and was beginning to tighten her grip on the young mage, and Pantherlily had run out of stamina and had been reverted back to his smaller form. Even the two Lucy's were not fairing well, without weapons the two could only dodge attacks from all sides, in the scuffle future Lucy lost her cloak and the two were sustaining more wounds then they already had from their fights in the dungeon. As if by miracle though the enemies began to disappear into a massive shadow that had begun stretching along the ground leaving only the Fairy Tail wizards with confused faces as opposed to the sudden fear filled faces of their enemies as they sunk into what was once solid ground.

"The kingdom's soldiers are all…" Happy trailed off in disbelief.

"Inside the shadow!" Charle gasped out.

Never taking their eyes away, they could only watch in mixtures of disbelief and horror as the enemies were all consumed like stones falling into a river before they were eventually swallowed and all that remained was the shadow. Never looking away they watched a figure slowly emerge and take shape in the form of Future Rogue.

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><p>Loke had wondered if the Rogue had swept away the soldiers in an act of aid and when asked Rogue admitted to being coming the future in an effort to open the door to defeat the approaching dragons with the eclipse cannon to which the mages agreed with hope in the newly revised plan.<p>

Their agreements came to halt when the Future Rogue admitted to coming back from the future with the sole purpose of killing the person he said would interfere with the gate's opening.

From there is where the two parties began to disagree. The Fairy Tail mages saying that the person did not have to die and could be reasoned with while Rogue vehemently disagreed, saying that fate would prevail and the person would close the gate no matter what.

"Who is it anyway?" Natsu sighed in exasperation at not knowing.

"YOU. Lucy Hearfilia!" He shouted with a burst of magic aimed at Lucy quicker than anyone had realized.

Natsu had shouted at Lucy to move, not caring, at the moment, which Lucy it was only that she moved before the blow could hit her. Lucy, unmoving from the shock of Rogue's words, could only stare in horror at the blow heading straight for her and even more horror than she thought possible at the blonde head that suddenly blocked her vision. Ignoring the equally shocked faces from everyone else including Rogue. The blonde could only watch as her own self fell with a great thud to floor, blood oozing from her gaping chest wound and dripping from the corners of her mouth.

"I n-never closed th..e door…" Lucy choked out, blood continuing to poor from her mouth. "I know! I wouldn't do that!" She responded, pushing back the odd feelings of cradling herself in her own lap.

"Idiot! Why did you save me?!" Lucy cried to herself.

"It's o…k"

"But now… how are we going to…." She trailed off her sobs beginning to overtake her. Lucy could only shush herself her vision beginning to blur. "I-It's so wi..erd to d-die in front of… yourself", her tears that had begun to pool now falling down her face .

"It's weird for me too! So don't die!"

"Lucy…." Happy trailed off, staggering forward, the others still unmoving, while the Lucy that lay bleeding struggled to lift her hand and pat the blue cat's head in solace only making the exceed sob more barely getting out his next words. "Future you or not! I'm still sad. Lucy is Lucy."

With her voice fading Lucy had to lower herself to hear her choke final words that faded into her final message and farewell that not even Happy could hear.

"I wanted to travel… more… with you…." Her words faded out as her head began to loll back her final words barely a whisper.

"I give you what magic I have left. Protect… the future…." Lifting her hand and transferring her remaining magic to Lucy with her remaining strength before that too gave out and her hand fell to her side followed by her head lolling back with eyes closed peacefully resigned.

The sobs of the remaining Fairy Tail mages that had once been muffled had now burst forth and echoed throughout the hallway. Despite that, Rogue's soft words were heard through it. "She wasn't aware she closed the door."

"I'd never do something like that!" Lucy shouted back in raw anger, "I won't close the door! I said I wouldn't and I TRUST MYSELF!"

"You will so long as you live! Fate will still intervene and I must make sure the gate opens. It cannot happen so long as you live!" He bit back preparing to launch another attack. His attack was stopped however by a flame engulfed fist that launched the future mage down the hallway, stones and debris flying in all directions from the force of the counterattack.

"NO ONE WILL STEAL LUCY'S FUTURE!" Natsu roared back "I promise I will" he choked back through tears.

* * *

><p>Time skip to battle end<p>

Lucy gazed in pure aw at the earth-shattering crash of Natsu's final blow to Rogue that had sent the two as well as Rogue's dragon through the gates leaving only the outer frame which began to crumble slowly, piece by piece leaving the once impressively tall gate to only piles of rubble. With that Lucy switched her gaze to the dragon's bodies as the each began to glow brightly signaling their pending disappearance.

"They're… gone…." Lucy breathed out to herself taking a moment to let the relief crash over her, clutching the notebook she left herself closely. Taking in another breath she turned from the fading images of the dragons to see Natsu exchanging his final words with the also glowing and fading body of the Future Rogue. Knowing she had only moments left she approached Natsu ignoring the tears flowing from her eyes that threatened to blur her vision and steer her off course.

"You did it Natsu. You kept the promise." She exhaled, crashing into Natsu's back wrapping her arms from behind.

"Yeah." The pink haired mage whispered feeling the wetness pool between his shoulder blades. "What's wrong Lucy?" He chuckled back before feeling a different warmth than Lucy's own arms begin to wrap around him.

"I'm just keeping _my_ promise." Lucy spoke, her voice muffled by Natsu's back. Glancing down Natsu noticed the faint glowing coming from the book in the celestial maiden's hand, but it was not the book that gave him pause it was the hands holding the book.

The hands that glowed.

"Lucy…?" Natsu trailed off his mind reeling. Turning quickly in her arms he gazed in confusion which promptly morphed into horror at the sight of Lucy's entire body glowing, wisps of magical energy rising high into the sky.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Natsu. She made me promise." She choked out, her tears barely falling down her face before they became rising wisps.

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><p><em>Bending low to hear the words choked out through blood, Future Lucy strained to her the words come out of her own mouth. "D-Don't tell him. At lea..st until it-it's ov…er. I give you what magic I have left. <em>Protect… the future…. _It sh-should keep you here un…til the end. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She gasped out softly, barely loud enough for the future Lucy to hear through her own sobs as her tears fell on the present Lucy's face._

* * *

><p>"H-How?!" Natsu sobbed out grasping what remained of future Lucy's shoulders.<p>

"Celestial magic causes time to run differently through our bodies. The magic your Lucy gave me. She… we turned into hours what would have been moments. It gave me time to at least see this to the end." Trying to control her own sobs.

"P-please don't… don't make me watch you go again! What am I supposed to tell Erza, Gramps, Ice freak, everyone!"

"Tell them the truth." She smiled placing a glowing hand on Natsu's cheek attempting to wipe away his tears. "You kept your promise. You protected the future."

"Lucy…." Natsu could see his own hands through her body.

"Goodbye Natsu. Thank you. For one last… adventure…." She trailed off the remaining parts of her fading away leaving Natsu grasping at only wisps until it too faded away. Overcome with a crashing wave of emotion, Natsu fell to his knees throwing his head back letting out a thunderous roar of anguish before sobs racked his body.


End file.
